John Waddy (actor) facts for kids
John Waddy (1751–1814) was a well-known Irish actor and theatre manager. He was born in 1751 and died in 1814. Even though he first planned to study law, he became an actor instead. By 1774, he was performing at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin. He also acted in other theatres across Ireland and England.
From 1782 to 1796, John Waddy was a regular performer at the Theatre Royal, Norwich. Later, he moved to London and joined the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. He made his first appearance there on October 5, 1796. He worked under the manager Thomas Harris. For about 15 years, he performed at Covent Garden and the Haymarket. He was especially good at playing Irish characters on stage. When another actor, John Quick, left Covent Garden, John Waddy took over many of his roles. His second wife, known as Mrs. Waddy, also acted with him in London for several years. In 1810, he left the Covent Garden company. He then worked for a short time at the Surrey Theatre, which was south of the River Thames. John Waddy passed away in Oakingham, Berkshire, on April 12, 1814.
Notable Roles on Stage
John Waddy played many different characters during his acting career. Here are some of his most famous roles:
- Farmer Oatland in A Cure for the Heart Ache by Thomas Morton (1797)
- Gerald in Speed the Plough by Thomas Morton (1798)
- Lawley in The Wise Man of the East by Elizabeth Inchbald (1799)
- Daniel Dowlas in The Heir at Law by George Colman (1800)
- Falstaff in Henry IV, Part I by William Shakespeare (1801)
- Humphrey Dobbins in The Poor Gentleman by George Colman (1801)
- Father Brazil in Alfonso, King of Castile by Matthew Lewis (1802)
- Lord Fitz-Balaam in John Bull by George Colman (1803)
